The effective visual representation of key demographic data through the use of dynamic maps is a powerful tool for policymakers, journalists, and others. The World Bank developed such a program in 2010 as part of the Mapping for Results website. So far, their team has analyzed over 2,500 World Bank-financed projects and geo-coded more than 30,000 locations spanning 144 countries. Visitors can look over the featured articles on the homepage to get a flavor of the projects here, which include stories like “Mapping for Results Goes Local” and “Mapping the Financial Sector in Africa.” Visitors can use the interactive map to view projects by country or indicator, which include population density, malnutrition, and infant mortality. Visitors can also learn about the Methodology deployed throughout the maps, which will be useful to those persons looking to understand the inner workings of this complex underta king. Visitors can sign up to receive updates about the site via Twitter or RSS feed.

Based at the Office for International Affairs at The Ohio State University, the Mershon Center for International Security Studies “fosters interdisciplinary faculty and student research on national security in a global context.” On the homepage, visitors can learn about their upcoming events, read their biennial report, and also check out their newsletter. In the Publications area, visitors can read thoughtful publications like “Terrorism Since 9/11: The American Cases,” back issues of the Center’s formal reports, and the “Mershon Memo.” The Areas of Expertise section includes information about their key areas of interest, which include the use of force and diplomacy and institutions that manage violent conflict. The site also includes the News area, which features updates about their research, media appearances, and forthcoming publications.

The Office of the Historian website was recently launched by the U.S. Department of State in order to provide better access to the official historical documentary records of U.S. foreign policy. The Office is responsible for writing and researching historical studies on various aspects of U.S. diplomacy for use by policymakers, and for the public at large. On their site, visitors can find various scholarly reports, a number of educational videos, and information about upcoming and previous scholarly conferences. On the homepage, visitors will find selected new reports, along with updates about relevant events and talks sponsored by the Office of the Historian. Also, visitors can read biographies of famous diplomatic figures on the site and also browse their Foreign Relations of the United States series.

Persons interested in the affairs of Europe will find the College of Europe’s Diplomacy Papers site to be most helpful. These working papers are part of a series “dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of the European Union’s external relations and external aspects of EU internal policies.” Currently, the site contains about two dozen papers that date back to 2006. The papers are authored by a range of experts, including individuals from the University of Dresden, the University of Heidelberg, and the Universiti
Libre de Bruxelles. Some of the recent papers include “A Misleading Promise? Rethinking European Support for Biofuels” and “The EU and Iran’s Nuclear Programme: Testing the Limits of Coercive Diplomacy”. Please click here to access.